Only 10 percent of smokers ever develop lung cancer. Why? According to Reuters, researchers have identified a group of genes that are especially active in lung cancer patients — even in healthy tissue — and said they may be used to predict which smokers will eventually develop lung cancer.
That’s not all. Inositol, a natural supplement derived from food that is being tested to prevent lung cancer appears to halt the precancerous changes.
“Even in normal cells or premalignant cells prior to cancer development we see this pathway being turned on,” said Andrea Bild of the University of Utah, who worked on the study published in the journal Science Translational Medicine.
“These cells are like a canary in the coal mine,” said Avrum Spira of Boston University. ”Even though lung cancer develops deep down in your lungs when you smoke, these cells can tell you whether you are on the way to developing lung cancer. It is sort of a window into the lung.”
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Cigarette smoke causes 90 percent of all cases of lung cancer, which kills 1.2 million people a year globally. Doctors recommend quitting smoking over taking inositol, since smoking can also cause other deadly conditions like heart disease, stroke and emphysema. But if you’re a former smoker, or if you’re having trouble quitting, the supplement (which runs for less than $5 a bottle) might be worth taking.
This sounds great, I hope it works! Lung cancer is such a killer: http://www.weitzlux.com/asbestos-lung-cancer-diagnosis_1962696.html